


Changing Pathways

by paperdollkisses



Category: NSYNC
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Gen, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-30
Updated: 2014-01-30
Packaged: 2018-01-10 12:59:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1160004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperdollkisses/pseuds/paperdollkisses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written 3/18/2007</p>
    </blockquote>





	Changing Pathways

**Author's Note:**

> Written 3/18/2007

It had been a long time since he’d woken so abruptly. He looked around the dark room as his heart slowed to a regular beat, one hand absently wiping the dampness off his brow. Once certain there was nothing in the room he pulled the sheets up from where they were crumpled at the end of the bed and lay down again. He closed his eyes and tried to remember the details of the dream he’d been lost in. JC’s mouth parted as he breathed in slow and deep, his body relaxing, his thoughts clearing.

The sky was clear and the moon was a luminous circle that shimmered as if alive in the darkness above him. The air carried the tangy scent of salt and a more pungent smell of fish that had him looking around at his surroundings more carefully. JC smiled as he saw the park spread before him, the moonlight glinted off each ripple in the water beyond the edge of the grass, the bridge that spanned the width from shore to shore. The telltale island in the middle of the Bay. He’d never been to San Francisco before. This would be interesting.

As he contemplated the many possible reasons he could have been pulled here he felt his body fill with a sense of foreboding. That feeling of dismay and fear and desperation. JC scanned the area quickly, his feet leading him towards the bridge. There it was, a bit of movement, something or someone. He moved faster now nearly at a full on run by the time he reached the place where he’d seen... what had he seen? Sometimes his instincts were dead on, other times it could have been a squirrel. As the pain embraced him he knew there was no squirrel.

Again he looked around, his blue eyes straining to see into dark crevices hidden from the moonlight. His body shaking now with the depth of emotion that held him still. A scream and a splash brought JC to his knees. His breath caught in his chest as he sat bolt upright in bed. He looked around the dark room as his heart slowed to a regular beat, one hand absently wiping the dampness off his brow.

It proved to be a long day. He’d had a hard time going back to sleep. He was sure he’d relived the first dream the second time. Had even felt a sense of deja vu when he’d calmed down again. Now he was glad to be back home, locked securely inside. His friends has teased him about being a hermit, but he had resisted the temptation to go out with them, there was something he had to do. He showered and climbed into bed. There was somewhere else he had to be. He took a deep breath and waited for his body relax.

Once more his body felt light. As if it was able to drift up out of bed and through the window towards the night sky. When he opened his eyes he was in the park again. The smells of the sea carried along on the warm breeze that caressed his skin and lifted his hair as if in an affectionate gesture. A small smile curved his lips as he allowed himself to enjoy it. Then he started walking towards the place he’d been last night. The sense of dread engulfed him sooner than he expected and he was taken aback by its intensity. So much loss and guilt, such a feeling of uselessness. He watched as a man walked toward him and past him, unaware. JC followed, taking in the hunched shoulders, the notebook clenched in his hand, the lines of sadness etched in his face as he turned it up to the sky.

The worst part of JC’s gift wasn’t the sleepless nights. It was the feeling of uselessness he felt when someone was so obviously hurting and he couldn’t do anything about it. He was only allowed to watch and feel. It’d had been hard at first, until he’d realize that one day he’d be able to help. But for now he needed to understand as he had for a year now. So he watched. And he hurt. His breath caught in his chest as he woke, the scream still ringing in his ears, his heart pounding.

On the fourth night he’d ‘left’ earlier, the sun was just dipping out of sight when he arrived. He wandered around more, following the now familiar rhythm of the man with the dark hair and dark eyes. The one whose voice he had heard on the previous night. Sad notes of such beauty and anguish that it had caused his heart to hurt. Words of anger and betrayal. JC had felt his throat tighten up and for the first time since he’d accepted it he regretted being an empath. But tonight he wanted to know more. Wanted to be there with everything he had. So he was, and he found him.

Chris. JC felt the name come to him as he looked at the man. The dark eyes given a color by the light of late afternoon were still blank and tired. He trailed along with him, taking in everything he could about him. The way his voice sounded when he spoke, and his habits. That night JC followed him to the park and watched his face as he sang. Felt the emotion more clearly than he ever had in his life. That night when he woke his face was drenched with tears and his throat was raw from the scream that had been ripped from it. He lay there cursing the premonition. Somehow he had to ease that man... Chris’s... pain and the pain it was causing JC.

JC climbed out of bed with a purpose. His mouth a thin line of determination as he powered on his laptop and began his search. Several hours passed before he straightened up, his back and neck sore and his eyes burning with the strain of staring at the screen. But now he knew what to do. He showered, taking his time and making his body and mind relax while standing under the hot water. JC quickly dried off and pulled on just a pair of jeans before lighting incense and candles and sitting in the middle of his bed with his legs crossed.

Once again he relaxed his body by breathing deeply each muscle loosening and warming with the effort. He focused on bringing his premonition to him. Calling the images he’d seen the past nights clearly into his minds eye. JC’s body went limp slowly, laying itself almost gently down on the soft mattress.

He was near Chris even earlier that day, walking just behind him as he went through the motions of that fateful day. Feeling the resignation and intention that exuded from him with each movement. It peaked once during the first hour JC was following him. JC put a hand out and rested it on Chris’s shoulder and Chris’s step faltered, his head turning towards the touch. His thoughts distracted from their normal train and he felt different for just a moment before it was gone.

JC shook his head in irritation. He should have been able to hold that for longer, but he was happy that Chris had noticed. All through the day when JC felt the negative spike of emotion he touched Chris and felt it drain away. It was quite satisfying and he thought his plan might work after all even as the threat of time crept toward them. He would stop it. He had to.

As the fated time grew nearer JC was getting tired. The thought that maybe he’d miscalculated his powers or his determination at the forefront of his mind. He felt himself fading as he followed Chris across the park to the rocks the emotional spike higher than he’d anticipated as the words echoed through the darkness. JC wrapped his arms around Chris and felt the shiver of awareness go through him, feeling the confusion and pain wrapping tightly together like a rope.

The song faltered for a moment before ringing into the night again and JC held on even tighter than before. Whispering silent words of encouragement and healing into Chris’s ear as he listened to the haunting words. Not letting go despite the intensity of the fight going through Chris his energy fading as he fought the despair with caring. Chris’s song ended on a soft note for the first time that week and his head slumped forward on his chest. A chill shaking him as the comfort of JC’s presence left him and took away the last of the pain.

There would be no end that night but there was a hint of a new beginning.


End file.
